


A Sparkling Idea (3)

by BeaDragonia



Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-13
Updated: 2011-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-26 01:10:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/276899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeaDragonia/pseuds/BeaDragonia





	1. Chapter 1

Raelyn set out the leather that was nearly as black as the night sky; she spread it out evenly onto the floor of Tympth’s portion of the weyr as it was a larger area than inside her part of it. Taking the knife she wore at her waist from the belt that held it, she started in the outer edge of the leather, taking care to make cuts that were of even width as she spiraled down into the center of the leather.

 

When she was done cutting it out she had quite a length of leather strips to make into riding straps for Tympth. She ran the strip through her fingers, searching for any weak places in the leather that might cause a problem later on. Finding only one weak place in the long strip she cut it out and then rolled up the two sections of leather she was left with.

 

She got up and went back into her portion of the weyr, where she lived and looked around for a smaller leather strap and tied what hair she had back on top of her head with it. The strap was of a light brown and showed nicely in her dark hair. She didn’t realize it because she didn’t look in anything reflective but she looked quite fetching and young with her hair done that way. Now that it was out of her way she could concentrate on setting the stones into the straps.

 

Gathering up the pouch of stones that she had bargained for from the smithy, she took them out with her to the place she had been working in Tympth’s wallow. She took down the other straps that fit Tympth perfectly; she measured the strips of leather to the right lengths that she needed to make the new decorated riding straps. She laid them out in neat rows and began looking through the stones in the bag.

 

She had bargained hard with the smithy for these particular stones, ones that would shine best against a black background and still be stunning on the golden queen dragon. She was a bit shy on marks now, but that was all right, she might have a few stones left over to sell to others herself, and she was a shrewd bargainer on both sides of the table.

 

Choosing the largest of the stones she began to set them out in a pattern on the breast section of the straps. When she was pleased with the arrangement she began to fasten them to the leather with prongs that went through the leather and around the stones holding both together so that the stones wouldn’t fall out. She had had the metal smith make them for her in various sizes during the time that the mining smithy was out looking for gems. They seemed to work well. She would force the metal prongs through the leather, then set the stone within the prongs, bending them over to hold the gem in place, then moved on to the next gem placement.

 

She had been working quite a while when all of a sudden her light was blocked from the outer portion of the weyr opening. She looked up and realized she had a stiff neck and that her shoulders were tight as well. “Well hello Tympth my beauty. I thought you were taking a nap in the sunshine today. That’s what you told me earlier.”

 

 _That was a long time ago my rider, the sun is nearly gone now. Have you finished my straps yet?_

Raelyn looked past the golden queen, and realized that indeed the sun was going down. No wonder her neck and shoulders were hurting, she had spent hours in a hunched up position working on leather and trying to set stones. “No, my dear they are not finished yet, but they are close. I should finish them tomorrow sometime.  The day has totally gotten away from me, I need something to eat and drink. I think I will put this stuff away and go find me some of both.” She began gathering the stones she had yet to set and the rest of the leather strips, rolling it all together into a larger hide of cured leather so that nothing would get lost. When she was done she took the roll into her quarters and placed it on a shelf.

 

Stretching mightily she began to work the kinks out of her shoulders and neck, it would take a hot bath and a long soak for that to happen she decided. She was definitely heading for the public hot pools after getting something to eat and drink. She made her way through the tunnels in the rock that led from the queen’s weyrs to the dining hall, never having to go out into the outside area at all; which was nice when the weather was bad or it grew too cold.

 

Gathering herself a plate full of food along with a carafe of wine and a goblet to drink from she made her way to her regular table. Setting things down carefully so that she would not spill anything she sat and began to fill up on her choices in food.

 

Taking the last piece of bread she had she mopped up the last of the juices off of her plate and popped it into her mouth. She smiled lightly with the combined flavors of yeast, wherry juice, and butter. She then poured herself a glass of wine. Not the good stuff, but it was in the middle at least, she didn’t care for the poorer makes of wine, they were too harsh on the palate, this one was smooth but not as smooth as Benden wine was. But it was fruity and palatable.

 

She finished off the goblet of wine and drained the last bit of it from her glass. Rising she returned her dirty dishes to the washing station and then with the skin of wine over her shoulder made her way towards the bathing pools. She was going to soak out the stiffness in her neck and shoulders.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
Raelyn slipped out of her clothes and stepped down into the warm water, walking in slowly to acclimatize her body to the warmth. When she was within the pool she sat on one of the rock ledges that lined the pool, allowing the water to reach up to her shoulders. She raised her feet and they floated lightly with her toes just breaking the surface of the pool. She was already beginning to relax from the wine, and the water was helping even more.

She leaned her neck over to the side and twisted it slightly, it popped and she groaned lightly with pleasure at the release of pain, and repeated it to the other side. Then she slid down deeper into the water letting it settle around the back of her neck. “Sheer bliss.” She murmured to herself.

But she was answered with a deep voice saying, “Yes, agree it is sheer bliss.” Then he slid into the water beside her and settled his body so close he could almost touch her. “Fancy meeting you in here, haven’t seen you out and about recently. What’s been happening?”

She opened her eyes and turned her head, her wet hair clinging to her shoulders she smiled and replied, “Well Tympth has kept me busy making her a new set of riding harnesses, one for use and one for show.” She closed her eyes again as her hand drifted over to hold his under the water.

“Has she now… what does this pair look like? She is the vainest creature.” G’redin told her with a grin.

“Oh this pair for show is black leather with stones set in it. I worked on it all day today, to my detriment, and that is why I am down here soaking in the hot water, to soak away my aches and pains.” Raelyn said.  
“You must let me see it when it is finished, for I imagine they will be beautiful. You always do such nice stonework.” G’redin replied. “So, when we are finished soaking, how about a massage for those aching muscles of yours?”

Raelyn smiled at him, “I would love the massage.” Standing up she walked out of the pool with the steps that had been cut into the edges much like the stone benches. “I’m finished soaking now.” She said with a sidelong glance at him and a wicked little smile, then walked over picked up her clothes from the bench and without putting them on walked out of the cavern.


	3. Chapter 3

O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0Chapter 3 O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O

 

G’redin launched himself from the pool of warm water, he didn’t bother with the steps as Raelyn had, grabbing a leather he wrapped it loosely around him and followed her to her weyr.  _No one disturbs me…_ he said to Derth.

 

He walked into her weyr shedding his leather, letting it lie on the floor with her discarded clothing. She was laying full length on the bed on her stomach. “The oil is on the table… I like the smell of it too, made some with some flowers that had bloomed this summer.”

 

Following her instructions, G’redin picked up the pot of oil that she indicated and made his way over to her. Slowly he poured some of the oil into a puddle at the dip in her back that was just above her bottom. Then slowly he drew lines onto her back with the scented oil that followed his meandering fingers until she was liberally coated with the oil. Then with both strong hands, he began at her shoulders and neck, gently but firmly massaging the kinks out of them, he could feel the tightened muscles relaxing beneath his hands and fingers as they sought them out and then released their hold on her.

 

“I swear you are purring.” He whispered into her soft shell shaped ear. “You sound like a feline who was given the cream from the milking.”

 

She laughed lightly, “Yes, I think you are right. When your fingers massage like that I feel like a feline.” She stretched and rolled over.

 

O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0

 

Derth broke into G’redin’s peaceful thoughts, _You are being sought by the Weyrleader._

 

G’redin moaned and growled.

 

“What now?” Raelyn asked as he went to un-entangle himself from her embrace.

 

“The sharding Weyrleader is looking for me.” He said as he sat on the side of the bed. “You wouldn’t happen to have any of my clothing here would you?  Wouldn’t seem right to meet him dressed in naught but a skin of leather.”

 

Raelyn laughed, “No, no, it wouldn’t be appropriate for the Weyrleader to catch you unclothed… umm… yes, I do believe that there is a change of your clothes in the trunk by the wall.”

 

“You are always prepared for any eventuality aren’t you?” G’redin replied as he dug through the trunk until he found his old clothes that were fit to wear. “What do you do… rifle through the laundry and make off with a set of clothes for all the men in the weyr?”

 

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Raelyn answered with a sweet laugh and stretched again, languishing in the furs of her now empty bed. “Enjoy yourself with the Weyrleader.”

 

O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0

 

Raelyn rolled over and slid out of her warm furs into the chilly morning air. She felt much better today than she had last night with all her muscles hurting. She dressed quickly and gathering up her almost finished work went out onto the edge of Tympth’s weyr ledge and sat down to go back to work on the riding straps.

 

She carefully unwrapped the package with the stones and the hammer that she had been using, and began setting the stones into the black leather.  The painstaking work was time consuming but she didn’t mind it too much. The results were always pleasant to look at, and Tympth loved looking outstanding in a beautiful set of riding leathers. These though would look stunning on her gold hide, with the black leather and the shine of the multifaceted stones that were of white and red.

 

Tympth intruded on her thoughts, _My own, would you like to bathe and oil me today? I would like it._

Raelyn had been deep in thought and the intrusion was startling she smiled though and looked at her nearly finished work. “Yes, I would like to bathe and oil you as soon as I finish these last two stones, for I want to see you in them.”

 

 _The riding straps are finished then? I would like to wear them too._ Tympth replied.

 

“Then you shall my vain golden queen.” Raelyn replied to her dragon.

 

 


End file.
